JP2001069280A - Image reader and compound device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To surely receive a read original and to prevent erroneous operation. SOLUTION: An original eject tray 2 is constituted so as to be freely opened/ closed with a shaft 2c as a rotary shaft. In a closed state, an operating part and an original placing part 4 are covered with the original eject tray 2 and original reading operation is disabled. In an opened state, the said operating part and original placing part 4 are exposed and the original eject tray 2 is fixed at a position to place the original ejected from an eject port.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an apparatus such as a facsimile, a copier, a scanner, and a multifunction device having a composite function of the above, and more particularly to reading an image while transporting a sheet-like original and discharging the read original. The present invention relates to an image reading apparatus provided with a sheet discharge tray for causing an image to be read.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A multi-function device as a sheet discharge tray of a conventional reading device will be described with reference to FIG. First, an operation unit 3 is provided on the front side of the upper surface of the apparatus main body 1, and a document table 4 is provided on the upper surface of the apparatus body 1 behind the operation unit 3.
The document loading auxiliary tray 5 is attached to the apparatus main body 1. A document reading section and a document transport section are provided below the operation section 3, and a document discharge tray 2 is attached to the front side of the apparatus main body. Further, a recording paper holder 8 for accommodating a large number of recording sheets is provided at the rear of the apparatus main body, and recording paper conveyed one by one at the time of recording is formed with an image by a recording unit inside the apparatus main body. The paper is discharged and stacked on the recording paper discharge section 10 and the recording paper discharge auxiliary tray 11 below the document discharge tray 2 on the near side. On the back side of the main unit, there is a connector for connecting an interface cable to a computer.

The original discharge tray 2 is attached to the main body so as to protrude by about 100 mm toward the front side of the apparatus main body 1. When reading a B5 size or larger original, the arrow a is used.
By pulling out about 100 mm in front of the apparatus and using the apparatus, the installation area of the apparatus can be reduced, and originals to be discharged can be reliably stacked. In addition, since there is a recording paper discharge section at the bottom of the document discharge tray, it is formed in a U shape with a material such as wire that is not so noticeable in design,
The width of the U-shape is about 70 mm so as not to interfere with taking out the discharged recording paper.

[0004]

However, in the above conventional example, the original can be placed on the original placing table 4 and the reading operation can be performed without pulling out the original discharge tray 2. Therefore, if a plurality of documents larger than B5 size are read without pulling out the document discharge tray, the plurality of read documents drop randomly toward the front side of the apparatus, and handling of the document paper is impaired. . Also, in order to take out the recording paper stacked on the recording paper discharge port, the size of the document discharge tray on the upper part thereof, particularly the width, is restricted. For this reason, as described above, the width of the conventional document discharge tray is about 70 mm, and it is difficult to reliably load a wide document such as a B4 size document on the document discharge tray. I will. Also, if the width of the tray is widened, the document will fall between the wide trays when discharging the document with the minimum reading width of the apparatus, so that the tray shape must be a complicated shape instead of a simple U-shape. There were also disadvantages.

[0005] Furthermore, the functions of recent multifunction peripherals are substantial, and it is general that a plurality of operations can be operated simultaneously. For example, a reading operation can be performed from the operation panel during the recording operation of the apparatus, and a polling reception can be performed by dialing even if no original is set during the recording operation. Therefore, this is a convenient function when intentionally performing these multiple operations in parallel.
Otherwise, there is a drawback that touching the operation button by mistake may cause an erroneous operation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional example, and has as its object to provide an image reading apparatus which can easily handle a document after being read and does not require any troublesome operation.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an image reading apparatus capable of reliably displaying the state of the apparatus while preventing a user from performing erroneous operations.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a multifunction apparatus which can easily handle discharged recording paper and can prevent an unintended reading operation during recording.

[0009]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention has the following arrangement. That is, a transport unit for transporting a sheet-shaped document, a reading unit for reading a document to be transported, an operation panel having an operation unit for an operator and a display unit for displaying a state, and an openable and closable unit with respect to the apparatus body A document discharge tray for loading a document that is read and discharged by the current reading unit in an open state, and has a shape that covers the operation unit of the operation panel and exposes the display unit in a closed state. Is provided.

Preferably, the document discharge tray has a concave shape that covers an operation portion of the operation panel and exposes a display portion in a closed state, and the width of the concave portion is determined by the reading means. To make it smaller than the minimum readable document width.

Preferably, the apparatus further comprises the above-described image reading apparatus, a printing unit for printing an image, and a discharge unit for stacking sheets printed by the printing unit.

[0012]

1 and 2 are drawings showing the features of the present invention best. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus main body with a document discharge tray closed, and FIG. 2 is a view showing the document discharge tray opened. It is a perspective view of the apparatus main body of a state. 1 and 2, 1 is the apparatus main body, 2 is a document discharge tray, 3 is an operation panel, 4 is a document table, 5 is a document setting auxiliary tray, 6 is a document width determining slider, 7 is a document discharge port, 8 Is a recording paper storage unit, 9 is a recording paper installation auxiliary tray, 10 is a recording paper discharge unit,
Reference numeral 11 denotes a recording paper discharge auxiliary tray. FIG. 3 is a perspective view from the rear side of the apparatus main body. On the rear side of the main apparatus 1, there are a parallel interface connector 12 for connecting an interface cable with a computer and a connector 13 for connecting to a communication line.

In a standby state of the apparatus, a predetermined number of recording papers 20 are set in the recording paper storage unit 8. The document discharge tray 2 is openably and closably attached to the apparatus main body with the vicinity of the document discharge port 7 as a fulcrum 2c. The document discharge tray 2 has a concave shape on the side opposed to the opening / closing fulcrum 2c. When the document discharge tray 2 is closed as shown in FIG. 2, the liquid crystal display unit 3 of the operation panel 3
b and a pictographic light-emitting display portion 3c indicating the state of the apparatus are configured to be exposed from the concave portion of the discharge tray 2. In this embodiment, as the pictogram light emitting display unit 3c, an alarm display which also serves as a warning display for insufficient ink cartridge remaining amount of the apparatus recording unit, a warning display for insufficient recording paper, and a recording paper conveyance failure display is used. A display indicating that the memory is being used, a display indicating that the device is operating, a display indicating that the communication line is being used, and the like may be arranged.

When the document discharge tray 2 is closed,
The distal end portion 2b of the document discharge tray 2 contacts the document table 4, and the inner surface of the document discharge tray does not contact the operation button 3a of the operation panel 3. Therefore, the operation button 3a is not pressed by the document discharge tray 2 in the closed state. Conversely, when the document discharge tray 2 is open, the end of the document discharge tray 2 on the side of the rotation fulcrum 2c is in contact with the stopper portion of the apparatus main body (not shown). Also, originals can be reliably stacked without tilting the original discharge tray.

The concave portion 2a of the document discharge tray 2 in the present embodiment is located substantially at the center on the left and right of the document discharge tray 2 and has a width H.
Is about 85 mm. The liquid crystal display section 3b and the pictograph light-emitting display section 3c of the operation panel 3 are also arranged substantially at the left and right centers of the operation panel 3, and the combined width of the liquid crystal display section 3b and the pictograph light-emitting display section 3c is about 70 mm. The display section is completely exposed from the section.

First, when the apparatus is on standby, receiving a facsimile, or printing out from a computer, the document discharge tray 2 is kept closed as shown in FIG. When the image recording of the apparatus is started, the recording paper 20 stored in the recording paper storage unit 8 is transported one by one by an automatic recording paper transport unit configured in the apparatus, and the recording paper configured in the apparatus is controlled. The image is formed on the recording paper by the image forming unit, and is stacked on the recording paper discharge unit 10 and the recording paper discharge auxiliary tray 11. The operator is a recording / ejecting unit 1
Confirm that the recording paper has been discharged and loaded at 0 and take it out. When the document discharge tray 2 is closed as shown in FIG. 1, it is easy to confirm the presence or absence of the recording paper stacked on the recording paper discharge unit 10, and there is no trouble in taking out the recording paper. In addition, since the document discharge tray 2 is closed, there is no tray that protrudes out of the apparatus, and the installation state is simple, and the installation area is small. In addition, since the liquid crystal display 3b of the operation panel 3 and the pictogram light emitting display 3c indicating the state of the device are exposed from the concave portion 2a of the document discharge tray 2, whether the device is in a standby state or in a receiving state,
It is possible to confirm whether recording is being performed, the state of a supply shortage of recording paper / ink cartridge, or the like, and the state of the apparatus such as the amount of memory used.

Further, in the composite apparatus according to the present embodiment,
Even during the recording operation, since the dual operation as in the related art, which can perform the facsimile transmission or the original reading operation as the scanner, can be performed, even if there is no original on the original placing table 4, the operation button 3a can be operated. Depending on the operation, operations such as calling a communication line can be performed. Therefore, when it is desired to operate only the recording operation, since the document discharge tray 2 is closed and covers all the operation buttons 2a of the operation panel 2, there is no possibility that the operation button is erroneously touched to cause a malfunction.

On the other hand, when reading a document such as a copy, a scanner or a facsimile transmission, the document tray 4 is opened by opening the document discharge tray 2 as shown in FIG. The document discharge tray 2 appears and is located downstream of the document discharge port 7. The original 21 is placed on the original placing table 4 and the original placing auxiliary tray 5 while adjusting the width of the original with the original width determining slider 6.
When an appropriate operation is performed in step a, originals are conveyed one by one by an automatic original conveying section arranged below the operation panel 3, and originals are conveyed by a reading section also arranged below the operation panel 3. It is read while reading. The read document is discharged from the document discharge port 7 and is stacked on the document discharge tray 2. When the operator takes out the stacked originals that have been ejected, the concave portion 2 of the original ejection tray 2 is used.
This can be easily performed by grasping the document with a. Thereafter, the document discharge tray 2 is kept closed as shown in FIG. At the time of copying, the recording paper is taken out last.

Since a business card is assumed as the minimum document that can be used in the apparatus of this embodiment, the minimum width of the document is about 89
mm. That is, in FIG. 2, the state where the document width determining slider 6 is narrowed to the minimum is about 89 mm. Therefore, since the width H of the concave portion 2a of the document discharge tray 2 is wider than about 85 mm, even if the document stacked on the document discharge tray 2 is the minimum original fringe of the device specification, the document is not removed from the concave portion 2a. Will not fall.
That is, even originals of all sizes according to the device specifications can be reliably loaded on the original discharge tray 2.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the multifunction apparatus of this embodiment in a state where the document discharge tray 2 is opened. When a document image is read for facsimile transmission or the like, the documents placed on the document table 4 and the document setting auxiliary tray 5 are taken in one by one by the sheet feeding roller 21a, and
1b and passes through the original reading head 21c. At this time, an image is read by a document reading head 21c having a photoelectric conversion element or the like, and the image data is stored in a memory or the like shown in the drawings. The read original is discharged onto the document discharge tray 2 by the discharge roller 21d. If the document discharge tray 2 is closed, the document placing table 4 and the operation panel 3 are covered by the document discharge tray 2 and the document cannot be read.

On the other hand, when printing an image, the recording paper stored in the recording paper storage unit 8 is conveyed to the recording unit 22 by conveyance rollers, where an image corresponding to the image data is formed and recorded. The paper is discharged to the paper discharge auxiliary tray 11.

With the above arrangement, in the multifunction apparatus according to the present embodiment, the original discharge tray for mounting the read original, and when the tray is closed, the original mounting table and the operation Function as a cover for the unit. Thereby, erroneous operation of the operation unit can be prevented. Further, by making the shape of the document discharge tray concave, the display portion is not covered, and the displayed contents can be visually recognized even when the document discharge tray is closed. In addition, when the reading unit is not used, the installation area of the apparatus can be reduced, and the presence or absence of the discharged printed paper can be easily checked. Further, by making the width of the concave portion smaller than the minimum document width, a readable document can be stably placed on the discharge tray.

The present invention can be applied to a system including a plurality of devices (for example, a host computer, an interface device, a reader, a printer, etc.), but can be applied to a single device (for example, a copier, a facsimile). Device).

[0024]

As described above, according to the present invention,
The document discharge tray is attached to the main body so that it can be opened and closed in the vicinity of the document discharge port. The document discharge tray is concave and covers the operation buttons of the device when the document discharge tray is closed, and the display unit is exposed. This makes it possible to visually recognize the display content while preventing an erroneous operation of the operation unit. In addition, when the reading unit is not used, the installation area of the apparatus can be reduced, and the presence or absence of the discharged printed paper can be easily checked. Further, by making the width of the concave portion smaller than the minimum readable original width, the readable original can be stably placed on the discharge tray.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a multifunction device according to the present invention with a document discharge tray closed.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the multifunction device according to the present invention with a document discharge tray opened.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the multifunction peripheral according to the present invention as viewed from the back.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the multifunction peripheral according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a conventional device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 device body 2 document discharge tray 2 a concave portion of document discharge tray 3 operation panel 3 a operation button 3 b operation panel display device 3 c light-emitting display indicating device state of operation panel 4 original stripe holder 7 document discharge port 21 document

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An operation panel having a conveying means for conveying a sheet-shaped document, a reading means for reading a conveyed document, an operation unit for an operator and a display unit for displaying a state, and an apparatus main body. A document that covers the operation unit of the operation panel and exposes the display unit in a closed state, and a document that is loaded by being read and discharged by the current reading unit in an open state. An image reading apparatus comprising: a discharge tray. 2. The document discharge tray has a concave shape that covers an operation portion of the operation panel and exposes a display portion in a closed state, and the width of the concave portion is read by the reading means. 2. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the width is smaller than a minimum possible document width. 3. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a printing unit for printing an image; and a discharge unit for stacking sheets printed by the printing unit. Multifunction device.